The Groceries took all my Money
November 27, 2008
My fridge is almost empty so I made a trip to the quaint grocery store around the corner from my apartment: The Food Depot.
I was not quite sure what to buy as I do not meet with Meghan until tomorrow.
I knew the shopping regulations though; Local organic first, local second, organic third.
The guidelines seem simple enough, but I had a hard time finding things I could eat and afford to buy! I fear my days at the Depot are coming to an end–I need to find a market with local food–soon!
I got the following:
Stephano’s Breakfast Cereal (basically granola): $6.69 (for only 525 grams!)
Svelte Plain Organic Yoghurt: $5.89 (l750 grams)
Organic Meadow Milk 1%: $4.19 (1L)
Organic Bananas: $2.50 (1 bunch = 7 bananas)
Canadian Cucumber: $.99
Kitchen Table Raw Almonds: $9.19 (318 grams)
I spent almost twice as much on milk and cereal than I usually do. At the Depot, an entire box of Bran Flakes cereal costs $3.79, while 2 litres of 1% Neilson milk: $4.37 (2L).
Meghan says that I need to think of the price of food as an investment in my health and I see her point, but I cannot help but wonder how entire families could afford to eat organically?
What do you think? Am I wasting my money on organic food? Are you throwing money down the drain when you don’t buy locally or organically?
Thanks to Rick on Flickr for ‘Canadian Money is Pretty.’
Entry Filed under: 12 Grain Program, Diet Rehab, Food, Grain of the Week, Groceries, Health, Local, Toronto, organic. Tags: cost, Food Depot, grocery shopping, Kitchen Table, organic food, price, Stephano's.
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1.
liajo | November 27, 2008 at 10:41 am
Good for you. And Meghan is right about the investment. I have a daughter almost aged 24 with a chronic intestinal problem. Extreme stomach pain and bloody stools. She’s had every test and pill there is and dropped down to 80 lbs last winter (now back up to 115). The doctors aren’t sure what exactly is wrong with her. The best medicine we have found, food, which is a lot cheaper than the pills (one bottle for about one month $168).
I grow and preserve most of our vegetables. We live 30 miles outstide of Denver in a kind of rural area. We buy eggs, milk and meat direct from the farm. Invest in a freezer and try that. Go in with friends and split the cost of the meat.
You’ll also need to change cooking habits. Fresher food with no chemicals does cook differently than most things you buy at a chain store.
You might even go through some withdrawl systems if you have had lots of sugars and caffine in your diet. You’ll get over it. There are now 3 things my daughter has no tolorance for, salt, sugar and soda.
Also you might think about expanding your “test” to at least 3 months but 6 would be better. That will really give your body time to get all the bad stuff out.
Good luck and remember its not about the cost, its about the quality of life (at least for my daughter.)
2.
Liz | November 27, 2008 at 11:11 am
Thanks for your insight, Iiajo. I will be in rehab for as long as it takes. When you compare the cost of good food to medication, it’s really a small price to pay. What sort of things do you and our daughter eat? I can understand disliking soda, but how does she avoid salt and sugar? Are natural salts and sugar okay, like the sugar in an apple?
3.
Meghan Telpner | November 27, 2008 at 11:36 am
Hey there… So here’s the deal with buying good quality food. It will always cost more to have someone else make it. Nothing better than making your own cereal out of whole rolled oats, a mix of nuts and seeds, and a little honey (recipe coming!). Milk may soon not be an issue (again- if I look into my magic nutrition ball). Goat’s Milk Yogurt by Hewitts is under $3.00. Nuts/Seeds/Dried fruit are way cheaper when purchased in bulk.
Venture over to Kensington Market. Tutti Frutti and Essence of Life on Kensington have the best prices in the city for whole, natural and/or organic (all different things) packaged foods.
You make me proud!
4.
Heather @ SGF | November 27, 2008 at 11:51 am
Something else to think about. The more processed the food is, the more expensive it will be. That box of cereal would be WAY cheaper if you made the granola yourself and there are tons of easy recipes on line. Something to think about.
Also, meat and dairy will be more expensive than grain products. Use meat and dairy to compliment your dish instead of it being the main part. Brown rice, pasta, and potatoes are less expensive and very filling.
5.
Mandy | November 27, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Hey Liz – I want to write a much longer post about how great I think this blog is (and I will!) but I just wanted to suggest one grocery store – Fiesta Farms. It is at Christie, close to Dupont and Shaw.
http://www.thestar.com/living/article/304948
Good luck with the program and talk soon!
6.
gettinggreen | November 27, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Hey — I’m Meghan’s friend, Vanessa (aka Green as a Thistle). I also write on the Footprint blog at the National Post, and recently I wrote about just this issue. You can read the story here:
http://www.nationalpost.com/life/footprint/story.html?id=721352
Anyway, as Meg points out, the key is to be strategic — make stuff from scratch rather than buying pre-made, pre-packaged food. Also, while things like organic dairy and free-run eggs will always be more expensive, if you start buying loose carrots instead of pre-washed baby carrots; a head of lettuce instead of triple-washed mixed greens in a plastic container; regular corn with the husk instead of husked corn in cellophane, etc… that’s where you can totally save money. Also, cut back on meat — veggies and alternative sources of protein are always cheaper. (Personally, I still eat meat and cheese and all that, but yeah… I’ve kind of restrained my clothes-shopping budget).
Great blog!
7.
Liz | November 27, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Hey Vanessa–iI have heard a lot about you through Meghan and I’m so flattered that you took a peek at Diet Rehab.
I read your blog (and now your column) regularly.
I agree with you that shopping organically is all about strategy and planning ahead. No more grocery shopping without a list. I’m okay with cutting back on meat and cheese so that’s not too much of a problem. Eating locally is a whole other monster. Finding locally grown…in Toronto…in November is tougher than I thought. I will have to plan a field trip to some of the places in Kensington that Meghan suggested as well as St. Lawrence Market. Thanks for your help and interest!
8.
Lynnet | November 28, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Hi Liz,
Congratulations on your diet rehab. It takes some time to think through and accustom yourself to the changes, so don’t be too hard on yourself.
You can do better on your budget by making more things yourself, such as yogurt (REALLY EASY) and granola (EASY). See if you can find a food buying cooperative–should be one or more in Toronto. You can buy high quality food with much less cost overhead. You can probably find milk from local dairies, perhaps raw (don’t know about Canadian law on that subject).
For another thing, it helps if you eat seasonally and eat things that grow near where you are. For example, apples rather than bananas. Kale or escarole rather than cucumbers–where are those cucumbers coming from this time of year? (maybe they’re hothouse Ontario? maybe from Argentina)
When you live in a climate with strong winters, you can put up food in the summer and fall, and have it in the winter. It’s way better quality, though it involves a little work on your part. For example, next July make lactofermented cucumbers, and you can have dill pickles all winter long, organic, from Ontario. What could be better?
If you can find a CSA (community supported agriculture) in your area, it really helps. Practically all of them have organic foods for their members. The costs are less, and the food is fresher. You can also get to know the people who are growing your food.
My husband and I have been eating locally here in northern Colorado. We’re starting on our second year. It has been quite a learning experience. We started with commercial food on hand, our CSA vegetables, local meats. It was tough in April and May. By July, August, and September, I was busy putting up fruits and vegetables–hopefully enough to keep us till the next harvest.
Anyway, best of luck to you on your quest. It’s worth it to have local, high-quality fresh foods.
Lynnet
I also started a small local food buying cooperative, which I have benefited from as much as the other members. We buy only organic foods, but because we have no overhead costs (all volunteer effort), the prices are generally even less than conventional food purchased at the supermarkets. We have strict limits on the sources of our foods: Colorado only for fresh fruits and vegetables, western U.S. for staple foods. We go as far as California to get organic rice, raisins and nuts; the rest of it comes from Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Kansas, Nebraska and Utah.
9.
Liz | November 28, 2008 at 1:04 pm
Wow Lynnet,
Thank you so much for all of your help! My goal is definitely to learn how to make more of my own foods. Part of my rehab will also be to seek out better places to shop in Toronto for local food and this, of course, will probably mean that I will more seasonally. Thanks so much for the comment–I hope that you can offer more advice!
10.
liajo | December 1, 2008 at 6:30 pm
I’m probably jumping a head but will quinoa be one of your grains. It is the best stuff. My daughter’s Peruvian doctor recommened it for her last year (when she was malnurshied and weight about 80lb). It was a staple of the Inca’s. It’s a perfect protein contains no glutton and is easy to digest. I buy mine at a regular grocery store. It cooks just like rice and makes a great main dish with beans or vegetables added. Check it out all over the web and then cook some your.
11.
Liz | December 1, 2008 at 10:50 pm
As long as Meghan approves it, quinoa will be one of my grains. I tried some of Meghan’s quinoa salad this weekend and I loved it so i hope it’s in The Plan!
12.
Dr Doc © (dlcs) | December 13, 2008 at 4:08 am
my wife left the lid off our mayo jar and the next morning it was filled with thousands of roaches. We can’t get rid of them. I am so tired of trying to eat a meal filled with roaches, we have to fight them for a bite.
We can’t bring ourselves to harm them. They are such sweet little creatures. Any sugestions?
http://cookingarbage.blogspot.com